Tacrolimus versus cyclosporin as primary immunosuppression for kidney transplant recipients

Angela C. Webster, Rod R. S. Taylor, Jeremy R Chapman, Jonathan C. Craig

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

252 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Tacrolimus is superior to cyclosporin in improving graft survival and preventing acute rejection after kidney transplantation, but increases post‐transplant diabetes and other side effects

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for most patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). Strategies to increase donor organ availability and to prolong the transplanted kidney's survival have become priorities in kidney transplantation. Standard immunosuppressive therapy consists of initial treatment and maintenance regimes to prevent rejection and short courses of more intensive immunosuppressive therapy to treat episodes of acute rejection. This review compared tacrolimus and cyclosporin used as primary immunosuppression for kidney transplant recipients. Thirty studies (4102 patients) were included. Tacrolimus was shown to be superior to cyclosporin in improving graft survival and preventing acute rejection after kidney transplantation, but increases post‐transplant diabetes, neurological and gastrointestinal side effects. There was insufficient information to assess the cost of tacrolimus versus cyclosporin, and there was a general failure to consider global quality of life (QOL) for transplant recipients which may inform our understanding of patient preference and compliance.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberCD003961
JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Volume2005
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 19 Oct 2005

Keywords

  • kidney transplantation
  • recipients
  • immunosuppression

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